South Florida Boating Accidents Mar Columbus Day Weekend

Investigators have identified the man who died after falling off a yacht in Deering Bay as Juan Carlos Morales. The Miami-Dade boating accident took place during the annual Regatta that takes place during Columbus Day weekend.

The 45-year-old Miami resident fell from diving platform on the back of a boat named Gotcha. The victim was a friend of the vessel’s owner. He was then dragged under the yacht where he was fatally cut by the propellers.

Because of the festivities, power boaters that aren’t part of the event often come to Deering Bay over the long weekend. Heavy drinking tends to be part of the celebrations, which have occasionally resulted in serious injuries and deaths.

Morales wasn’t the only one to be involved in a South Florida boating accident this weekend. A woman in her 80’s drowned and seven people are now recovering after their boat sank off the Florida Keys on Saturday. Everyone on the vessel was thrown into the water and they were forced to keep themselves afloat for approximately 20 hrs. before help arrived. One of the survivors, a 4-year-old girl, developed a mild case of hypothermia.

South Florida Boating Accidents
Recreational boating accidents can result in serious injuries for victims. There may be parties who can be held liable for what happened. For example, a boat owner that failed to properly supervise passengers or decided to operate a boat while under the influence of alcohol can be sued for Miami personal injury if someone gets hurt as a result. If a boat malfunctions or had a safety defect that caused it to sink or explode and people were injured or killed, the boat owner, boat manufacturer, and boat repair company could be among the possible defendants.